17 Weeks Pregnant – Your Body and Your Baby

17 Weeks Pregnant – Your Body

Your skin is starting to stretch to accommodate your growing baby and may get itchy, especially around your breasts and abdomen.

Use a gentle moisturiser to help minimise the symptoms – coconut oil is wonderful and natural. Your skin undergoes a lot of changes during pregnancy, such as darkening of the face or ‘the mask of pregnancy’.

Because of the increased blood flow, you may have noticed you are sweating more and possibly experiencing more vaginal discharge.

You are probably noticing you are hungrier during this time and it can be easy to think because you are growing a baby you can ‘eat for two’. It’s still important to stick to a balanced healthy diet and don’t overeat for the sake of it or you could find your weight gain puts you into a high risk category.

If you plan to take a childbirth class, now is the time to sign up, so you can be sure to get it completed before baby arrives. Take a look at our article about why independent birth classes are best. Not just for you, but for your partner and you as a couple.

17 Weeks Pregnant – Your Baby

Your baby is starting to gain some fat and his eyes have moved from the side to the front of his head. The umbilical cord is getting stronger and thicker.

At this point, your baby’s physical structure is pretty much complete and he will continue to grow and develop. His bones have been soft like cartilage up to this point, but they are now beginning to harden.

If you’re 17 weeks pregnant, you’re almost certainly feeling your baby move, and those movements will get more pronounced as he gets bigger. You may start to notice things that increase baby movements, such as when you lie down, or when you eat. If the placenta is at the front (anterior) it may be a few more weeks before you can reliably feel movements.

Your care provider will begin listening to his heartbeat at every appointment now. You’ll gain great comfort from hearing that little heart beating when you visit.

Your baby weighs about 167 grams and is about 13 cm long, around the size of an onion.

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Sam McCulloch enjoyed talking so much about birth she decided to become a birth educator and doula, supporting parents in making informed choices about their birth experience. In her spare time she writes . She is mother to three beautiful little humans.

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